Yakovlev Yak 52 — Vancouver, WA, 2008

Yakovlev Yak 52 — Vancouver, WA

2 fatal High-time pilot

Date	May 2, 2008
Location	Vancouver, WA
Aircraft	Yakovlev Yak 52
Purpose of flight	Personal
Conditions	Day · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Pilot age	66
Pilot total time	20,000 hrs · High time
Time in type	Unknown
Fatalities	2

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed sufficient to avoid a stall during a low altitude aerobatic maneuver. Contributing to the accident was the low altitude at which the pilot initiated the maneuver.

NTSB findings

Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained - F
Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C

What happened

Witnesses located near the accident reported seeing the airplane takeoff, make a 180 degree turn, and fly down the runway at an altitude of about 30 feet above ground level (agl). As the airplane crossed the end of the runway, it pitched upwards into a steep climb, and the pilot did an aileron roll to the right, about 200 feet agl. The witness said that at the completion of the roll, the airplane appeared to be in a level attitude when a slight movement was observed, "as if it hit turbulence." The airplane subsequently descended in a nose-low attitude, eventually descending below a tree line. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the engine or airframe that would have precluded normal operation.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.